A Splinter Doesn't Land Far From the Trunk
by blackkitty479
Summary: She is dead, he is alive. They don't trust each other too much, but what will happen if they are forced to work together to save the woman they both love?
1. Night Encounter

_**Alright so this story will be a little different from my other stories, but I hope you'll like it anyway. The title is a Serbian/Romanian proverb (honestly, I don't know, I used to think that it was a Romanian one but I googled it yesterday and I discovered that it was a Serbian one-talk about coincidences :P). Anyway, its equivalent would be "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."**_

_**Secondly, this won't be very Teslen in the first chapters, but I am getting there, so don't worry;).**_

_**Thirdly, reviews are appreciated, as usually;).**_

_**Oh, and before I forget-Helen Magnus was born on the 27th of August 1850, or so I heard in an interview...**_

_One. Two. Three. _He mentally counted the noises of the grandfather clock. _3 o'clock… If you only knew____ the magnificence of the 3, 6 and 9__, ____then you would have a key to the universe__._ From this point of view, 27 was his favorite number. Of course, this was also related to the 27th of August 1850, but that was a whole different story. What bothered him was that it was 3 o'clock in the morning and he was still awake, unable to sleep. He knew that he needed it now that he was mortal, but his mind wandered, not letting him to get the sleep he needed. His brain had been invaded by a thousand thoughts. _His new powers. Helen. His experiments _(he really had to begin to work on something because otherwise he knew he was going to go crazy.) _Helen._ _World domination._ _Helen._ He tried to banish the thought, but it was an impossible task and he knew it all too well. _He was mortal now; he had to find a solution for this, because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to be around her for too long. _Around_ Helen._ Over the years, he had tried to forget her, to pretend that he didn't need her, but it didn't change the truth. He loved her, he needed her presence, and he wanted to get lost in those blue eyes, to taste those unfairly tempting lips… _Why hadn't he been able to tell her that she was the only thing that mattered to him, why the hell hadn't he kissed her the night he had lost her powers?_ He loved her and the thought scared him. It scared him because love was something complicated, too complicated to be scientifically explained and he hated the thought.

Since their previous meeting, he had analyzed her reactions a thousand times. _The look on her face when she had been tied up, her sadness when he had lost his powers, the way she smiled when he discovered his magnetism… Why would she do all that if she didn't have any feelings for him? And if she did,_ _why didn't she kiss him_, _why wouldn't she at least admit her feelings?_ So many questions and not a single answer…

Nikola's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a glass breaking in his laboratory. _Bloody hell_.What had happened? With a sigh, he got off his bed and went to check on his laboratory.

He opened the door with a squeaky noise, but what he saw in his laboratory made him gasp.

"This can't be real. It can't be. You're…"

"…dead. I know, Tesla. Thanks for reminding me." The blonde girl hovered over his desk, all dressed in white and threw him an ironical look he knew all too well.

"Ashley?" Nikola barely managed to pronounce her name. For God's sake, there had to be a scientifical explanation for this, it had to!

"Yeah. That's me. Well, almost. I am a ghost, Tesla. You know, Earth bound spirits and all that."

"That's impossible."

"Said the ex-vampire to the ghost. Honestly, Tesla, you used to work with my mom, I expected you to know that using the _I _word is completely inappropriate."

"No. I am not going to accept that I'm talking to a ghost. I am probably dreaming." His rational mind refused to embrace the truth. Ghosts were scientifically impossible; there was absolutely no physical proof for their existence…

"We both know that I am not the Magnus you dream of daily, so let's accept that I am real, for our own good, alright?"

"What do you want, Ashley?" Nikola asked exhausted. "I would love to chat with you, but you know, it's three o'clock in the morning and I was trying to get some sleep."

"If my mother came to your place at this hour of the night, you would have acted differently."

Ashley's remark made his mind go into the craziest places possible. _Helen. All dressed in leather, coming to him with a bottle of the best wine she had in her cellar…_

"Tesla, would you please focus? I need your help."

"Why me? Why not your mother or your beloved father?"

"Well, I don't exactly know where to find my dad." Ashley admitted.

"He is probably out in the city having _fun_. Try the bawdy houses, he used to find them… entertaining back in the 19th century." Nikola said sarcastically. He asked himself if he did the right thing by being so mean, but he hated Druitt and nothing was going to change that too soon. After all, he had stolen Helen from him; he had stolen the only woman Nikola had ever loved.

"Tesla, please." The ghost paced the room, and placed her hand over Nikola's. It felt as if he had sunk his hand in a bucket full of ice, but the only thing he noticed were Ashley's eyes. Those blue eyes… He knew them all too well. The mixture of warmth and boldness in them... They were not Druitt's eyes. Long time ago, those eyes had been the ones that helped him face the world, that gave him the power to embrace his new vampire nature…those were the eyes he had been dreaming of for over a century. And even if Ashley was Druitt's daughter, he could never say no to someone that had Helen's eyes. He simply couldn't.

"How can I help you, young lady?" He asked with a sad smile.

"My mother is in trouble. We need to find her."

"Helen is in danger? Why the hell didn't you say so from the beginning?" he asked, half angry and half scared.

"You would better pack things up, this is going to be a long journey." Ashley said, disappearing through a wall and leaving him confused. _What have you gotten yourself into, this time, my sweet Helen?_


	2. Rainforests and Memories

_**As you can see, I started to update chapters really slowly…Trust me, I'm not doing it on purpose, but it's been a very busy week for me. Anyway, I hope you'll like it!**_

"You know, you could have told me we are going to pass through a rainforest before I took my best suit." Nikola muttered. "You made me take a plane, we walked 2 hours on foot from the airport through here and we've been in this forest for another 3 hours…

"It's a rescue mission, Tesla, not a bloody date with my mother." Ashley said.

"It's easy for you to say, you're a ghost. You can't get tired, but look at me! I've been walking through rain the last three hours, I'm dirty…"

"Well, I didn't know you would mind getting wet and dirty for my mom…" Ashley couldn't help a smile. Torturing Tesla was a funny thing to do.

"Well, I wouldn't normally mind it, but this is just too much. Can you at least tell me where we are going?"

"I already told you, there is a cave hidden deeply in this rainforest. Mom is being held prisoner there. She'll tell you the rest after we save her."

"Why me, Ashley? Why did you choose me?" Nikola had already asked the question, but he knew that Ashley was still hiding something from him. And he was determined to find out what it was.

"Because my mother wants you." The ghost was walking in front of Nikola, so she couldn't see him, but she could almost feel him smirking.

"Not in _that_ way!" Ashley almost screamed. "I told you, she is being held prisoner and I heard her saying _I wish Nikola was here_. So I went after you."

"By the way, did she ever tell you about me?"

"Well, she never told me about my father, what do you expect?"

"You're right." Nikola said with a sigh. Why did he hope that Helen had mentioned him to Ashley?

"As a matter of fact, I got grounded because of you once."

"Grounded?"

"Yes. Mom cut my allowance for two weeks. I almost lost a deal with Sylvio because of that."

"Really? How did that happen?"

"Well, I could show you if you want."

"How?"

"Well, ghosts are a form of energy, and you can work with energy, so…"

"I could be able to read your mind?"

"You'd wish. You can't, but I think I can transmit a message that your mind would be able to receive."

"Sounds interesting. Do it."

"I said I could, not that I would do it."

"Please, Ashley, I want to know."

"Did you just say _please_? I didn't think that word exists in your dictionary."

"Ashley…"

"Alright, alright. I'll do it. But don't tell mom that I showed you this because she will kill me."

"You're already…" Nikola started to say, but he hadn't had the chance to finish his sentence. Everything got blurred around him for a moment, and after that he was in Sanctuary's living room. The rainforest had disappeared. It took him only a second to notice that Helen was sitting on the sofa with a look that he knew all too well. She was clearly angry, but he didn't know why.

"Ashley Magnus, your Physics teacher told me some very unpleasant things about you." A younger Ashley had just entered the room, only to see her mother's look. _God she is sexy when she is angry. _Nikola thought.

"I can explain, mother."

"I sincerely have doubts that you will be able to do that, young lady."

"What did he tell you exactly?"

"He told me that you aren't enjoying too much your Physics lessons and that you were behaving in a very unpleasant way."

"But mother, I just started studying about alternating current and I don't like it, alright? You don't need to go ballistic on me."

"He told me you were rude." Helen was relentless.

"Well, I got angry and…"

"And?"

"And I may have said some bad things about the guy that developed it… And I may have mentioned his mother. What is really going on, mom? I've never seen you so angry since me and Henry went to see his family without telling you."

"I just want you to realize that Nikola was a great man. That you shouldn't talk about him like that." Helen said with a calmer tone.

"_Nikola? _ Man, it seems you two were really close. How well did you know this guy?"

Helen's reply came after what seemed hours for Nikola. "It's complicated, Ashley. I don't know how to put it. We were coworkers for a while, even friends, but I was never really able to fully understand him. I tried, but he was the type of guy that had suffered a lot, and this had made him build walls around his heart…Walls I was never able to break."

"Was he handsome?"

"I fail to see the purpose of answering that question." Helen said on a cold tone.

"Come on, mom, you can tell me."

"Yes, but he was not my type."

"Mom, I know you. You loved this guy, didn't you?"

"We didn't talk about your punishment, Ashley." Helen said, her look fixated on the floor, so focused as if she was trying to count the particles of dust on it.

"But mom…"

"I am cutting you your allowance. For two weeks."

"But mom, tomorrow Sylvio will receive a new shipment."

"End of discussion, Ashley. Two weeks."

"You still didn't answer my question, mom. Did you love this Nikola guy?

"This discussion ends here, Ashley. That is, if you don't want me to make it a whole month."

"Fine." Ashley said and walked to the door, leaving her mother alone. Nikola tried his best to read Helen's look. It was a mixture of sadness, nostalgia and…_love_? _Could that be possible?_ He wanted so much to really be there with her, to comfort her…

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!" Ashley yelled in his ear.

He opened his eyes and saw that he was back in the rainforest. Ashley was throwing him one of Helen's killer looks.

"This is the place. Focus, Tesla, you can dream about my mother later." Ashley said.

"Did you see that? She loves me."

"Well, she's my mother. You can never be sure."

"Are you saying that your mother is in that cave?" Nikola said, heading to the entrance without waiting the answer. He had to admit, it was a pretty darn good place to keep somebody prisoner.

"This is a labyrinth, Ashley! How do you think we'll find your mother in here?" He asked after he entered and turned on his lantern.

"I don't know her exact location, I just know that she is being held prisoner in here."

"How do you know that?"

"I feel it. Watch…" Nikola fell on the floor after he had been hit by someone.

"…out." Ashley ended the sentence, but it was too late. "Crap." At first, she thought about scaring the one who had hit Nikola, but since the unknown man hadn't killed him, she assumed that Nikola was going to be locked up. Probably in the same place with her mother. As much as she hated to admit, she needed the stranger.


	3. Truth or Legend?

_**As you can see I've made an obsession for evil endings…Sorry for that:P Also, this story may get a little more fantasy and a little less sci-fi from now on-I don't know yet, but I hope I wouldn't mind it too much.**_

"Good so you finally decided to free me." A voice sounded in the dark. Helen had had it. She had been locked up for three days now, no food or water, not knowing what the one who had captured her wanted from her…Nothing.

The man in the dark laughed ironically. "I suppose you are still not willing to cooperate." He said coldly.

"No."

"Then I won't free you. But I brought you some company." He opened the cell door for a short time, enough to throw somebody inside. "I hope you two have fun together." He added and then he left.

Helen let a sigh escape her throat. Going on that trip had been the worst idea she had ever had. She threw a look to the man that lay down on the floor, still unconscious. _That hair_…She would have recognized it anywhere. Was it possible?

"Nikola?" she asked, trying to hide how desperately she needed an affirmative answer. If only she hadn't been tied up, if only she could move…

"Nikola!" she shouted his name, over and over again, determined to get an answer.

After what seemed ages for Helen, he finally opened his eyes. "Helen? Is that you?"

"Yes. My God, Nikola, you look like hell."

"Sexy like hell or just like hell?" he asked with the smirk she knew all too well.

"What are you doing here, Nikola?" Helen asked, avoiding the answer. After all, he was _wet_. And _dirty_. And _tied up_. But she couldn't let her mind think about that. They had more important things to do.

"Isn't it obvious? I am saving you. Or at least I am trying. The rescue mission didn't go too well as you can see."

"That's an understatement."

"Well, it wasn't a _total _waste of time. I am here, locked up with you, you are tied up, your hands cuffed… this could get interesting."

"For God's sake, Nikola, focus! And you are tied up too."

"I bet you like the thought. Me, all dirty and tied up. I bet you wish nothing more than to take advantage of this situation."

"I'm not you, Nikola."

"Come on, Helen. I know that you pictured me dirty and tied up."

"Like I am the type that would dream about you naked and tied up."

"You know I never mentioned anything about the naked part." He said and Helen bit her lip. How did that one come out of her mouth?

"I know that you dream about me, Helen. How else would you be able to survive those cold and lonely nights at the Sanctuary?"

"I turn on the heat, Nikola. And my dreams are none of your concern. Now, about the fact that you are tied up too…"

"Not anymore." He said with a smirk, showing her his now free hands. "That idiot honestly thought that a pair of steel handcuffs could hold me." It took him only a minute to untie his legs too. After he finished, he closed the distance between them and kneeled in front of her, bringing his lips dangerously close to hers. Her hands were cuffed, her legs were tied up and she looked so sexy and deliciously vulnerable that he was barely able to resist the urge of kissing her.

"Don't you think it's strange that you always end up being tied up when you are around me?" Nikola asked, while one of his fingers was playing with Helen's curls.

"Untie me now, Nikola, or I swear I'll…"

"Alright, alright." He embraced her, taking her hands into his, and soon after she heard a 'click' and felt that she was now able to move her hands.

"You can let go of me now, you know." She pointed out, but Nikola didn't seem too eager to listen to her. So she shoved back with irritation. The man was impossible.

"What? No 'thank you' kisses?" Nikola complained as she was untying her legs.

"You'd wish." She muttered.

"OK, so what were you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"I told you, I went to rescue you."

"That's not all, Nikola. What's in it for you?"

"Come on, Helen. Is it so hard to believe that I wanted to be the hero for once?"

"Yes."

"Well, the hero always gets the girl. Or the extremely hot British woman in our case. And anyway, I was worried for you."

"I am doing just fine, thank you. How did you know I was here?"

"You won't believe it if I told you."

"Try me."

"Ashley told me."

She glared at him, trying to determine whether he was lying or not. She had had visions of Ashley after her death, but she always thought they were figments of her imagination. And deep down she knew Nikola would have never lied to her about this. But scientifically speaking, it was impossible.

"You don't believe me."

"I want to, Nikola, but you haven't exactly made a hobby from telling me the truth."

"She told me about her Physics lessons. About the fact that you grounded her because she insulted me."

"Dear God. So the legend is true. But it didn't work properly; I should have seen her and not you. And not everywhere."

"What legend?"

Without a single word, she turned her back at him and began unbuttoning her jacket.

"Well, I didn't expect that, but I would be more than delighted to help." Nikola said with a smirk.

"I am only showing you this because by some twist of fate you ended up being here. And because I may need some help after all." Admitting that wasn't easy, because she had gone in this journey without the others exactly because she hadn't wanted to involve anybody else in it. And now Nikola was the only one that was able to help her…

"I went on this mission because of this pendant." She said, taking it out of her pocket. "I hid it in my blouse so no one would find it. Here take a look." She said, handing it to Nikola.

The pendant didn't seem anything special. It looked as if it was made of some sort of metal, silver probably, and it was wave-shaped.

"What is it?"

"It is a gift I received a long time ago." Helen said with a sad smile. "I didn't think it was anything special, but I recently found out that the people of a tribe that supposedly lived in this rainforest a long time ago called it _clavis_.

"Latin word for key. Key to what?"

"This is where things get interesting. It supposedly leads to a secret cave, hidden deeply in the forest, where you get to meet the spirits attached to you."

"_Attached _ as in…"

"Well, the tribe thought that when you die, your soul goes to Heaven, or Hell, but only if you don't have unfinished business."

"And if you do…"

"You are doomed to stay on Earth until you solve them, yes."

"And you think Ashley has unfinished business?"

"I didn't believe the myth either, but how else would you explain that you keep seeing her? Once spirits go, they're gone. They don't show themselves anymore."

"Well, maybe she felt that you were in danger and she tried to protect you by sending me to you."

"No offense, Nikola, but I doubt she would choose you."

"I only chose him because I felt it was the right thing to do." Ashley said, suddenly appearing in front of her mother.

"Dear God. Ashley, is that you?"

"Hi, mom."

"I thought Nikola was the only one that could see you."

"I thought that too. But it seems you can see me as well."

"That's strange. Why there are only two people on Earth that can see you?"

"Actually, Mom, I think there are three. You see, when I…you know, things seemed blurry at first. I honestly don't know how much time had passed when I first saw her. The woman who sent me to you. She told me that you were in great danger. And that it was up to me to save you. Somehow, you are my unfinished business mom. I don't understand what am I supposed to do, but I know that I have to help you somehow."

"This woman…was she dead?"

"I don't know. You see, I get a feeling when I'm around living people, a feeling that I didn't get around her, but still, she seemed so…alive. I don't know. I only know that she was worried for you."

"Did she tell you her name? Or at least why she is so interested about me?"

"She only told me that her name was Patricia Heathering."


	4. Some Explanations

_**First of all, I am sorry. I realize that I haven't written in so much time that you started to wonder what was wrong with me, but school has really stayed in the way of me writing fics…However, I am now on holiday so I'll be able to write more often-and hopefully finish this story until next year - although I can't promise anything.**_

_**As usually, thank you for your great reviews and for your patience with me guys :P.**_

"Patricia Heathering?" Helen asked, her mouth refusing to shot. "Are you sure?"

"I know what I've heard, mom. Why? Do you know her?"

"Heathering was her maiden name. When she got married, her name became… Magnus." Helen said with a sigh. "She's my mother, Ashley. Your grandmother."

"But she'd have to be dead, right? I mean, you'd normally have to be dead, and she's older than you."

"I don't know, Ashley. I don't even remember her. She left when I was only three. "

"You mean she left you and your father?"

"Not exactly. She left in a mission and then…she disappeared. Father searched for her desperately, but with no luck. And now she sent you to help me. I have to find her, to talk to her."

"How?"

"Well, after all, she was the one that gave me the pendant." Helen said. "Father gave it to me when I got 18, saying that it was the only thing left from my mother, and that it has a special meaning. But I never took his words literally. Until now."

"So you're suggesting we should go to that cave and try to talk to your mother?" Nikola asked.

"_We_ as in me and Ashley. You're not going."

"That is not an option, Helen. I know you keep having focusing problems whenever I'm around and that's why you don't want me to go, but…you won't get rid of me that easily." He said with a smirk. "You need me."

"We'll be fine."

"You're so sexy when you're being stubborn…but you will need me to get out of this cave."

"And why is that?"

"Well, I don't know…_yet_." He admitted. "But you wouldn't leave me alone, right?"

Her look got lost for a second in those incredibly blue eyes, making it impossible for her to give him a negative answer."Fine. You're coming. But if you try any smart moves, Nikola, I'll swear I'll…"

"I'll behave." He said with a cheeky smile.

"Why don't I believe you?" Helen muttered as Nikola removed the bars from their cell and started to lead the way.

"You love him, don't you?" Ashley whispered when she was sure that Nikola couldn't hear her.

"He's a friend, Ashley. A close friend."

"Yes but this doesn't change the fact that you wanna do him."

"Ashley Magnus!" Helen said furious. "As I said, Nikola is just a friend."

"Oh come on. I'm your daughter. Don't try to lie to me. You've been dreaming about him lately."

"I dream about everybody I work with, Ashley. Nikola, Will, Henry…"

"You know what dream I mean, mother."

The blush in Helen's cheeks gave her thoughts away. _Not that dream. Ashley couldn't possibly know about that dream._

"You pictured him naked in one of your dreams mother. Don't deny it."

"It happened _once_, Ashley."

"You mean once this week. Come on. Plus, you're underestimating him."

"What?"

"Well, the advantage of being a ghost is that you can sneak around easier. Let's just say I spied a little on him when he was in the shower."

"Ashley Magnus, that was completely inappropriate of you! I am ashamed of your actions. How could you do that?"

"You would have done it too if you could."

"Nonsense."

"Come on. Ask me. You know you want to. I can give you a very good description."

"We are not having this talk, Ashley."

"Suit yourself… But I can tell you one thing. I don't blame you for wanting to do him…He is, after all, extremely doable."

Helen tried to find words to rebuke her daughter, to tell her that kind of language was completely inappropriate for a young lady…but she couldn't. Her eyes scanned Nikola, from the top to the bottom, as he headed away, and she could clearly feel butterflies flying in her stomach. His hair was still wet, making it to seem a lot more ruffable than ever, that elegant neck seemed devilishly kissable… and the view got sexier and sexier as her eyes went lower.

"Helen?" he called her name, but she didn't answer. "I know you like staring at my behind, but can I please have your attention for a moment?" Nikola asked with a smirk.

"Still think you're irresistible, huh?" Helen asked with a mocking tone.

"Still think you can deny it, don't you?"

_Touché_. Helen thought. "What do you want, Nikola?"

"From you? Believe me, my dear Helen, it is an endless list. And I bet we could both benefit from trying even a few things on it." His cheeky smile was insufferably sexy.

"You know what I mean, Nikola. What did you want to ask me?"

"Who are the guys that caught us? I mean, besides the fact that they are idiots given the fact that they left us unguarded."

"I don't know. They obviously want the pendant, they asked me about it countless times, but I didn't tell them a thing, of course. I guess they've been over here for a while, and we weren't their only prisoners, because I found scratches on the walls, but that's all I know."

"So, what's the plan, mom?" Ashley asked.

"First, we get out of this cave. Secondly, we travel the forest through the other cave, where I will hopefully be able to communicate with my mother using the pendant."

"About that…"Nikola said. "Do you think I'll be able to see her too?"

"Well, not normally, but since you can see Ashley, maybe you'll see her too. I still don't understand why you see Ashley."

"So, you're finally taking me to meet your mother? It seems things are getting serious between us."

"Nikola I didn't take you with me just so you can hit on me from 10 to 10 seconds."

Without a single warning, Nikola stopped and rapidly turned around, so that Helen almost ran into him. His face was now only inches from Helen's. "You didn't say I am not allowed to do it." He whispered in her ear, and she suddenly felt her knees melting.

"You're not." she whispered back, almost breathless, as their lips almost touched each other.

"For Heaven's sake!" Ashley shouted. "Honestly, guys, you should get a room and fool around for at least one night."

"Well, well, well. It seems somebody inherited your brains." Nikola said chuckling.

"Don't be silly, Nikola."

"Well I refuse to say that she got something good from dear old Johnny, so I'm gonna presume that she got it from you."

"Ashley, if you say anything like that again, I'll kill you." Helen muttered.

"I'm already dead, mother, so good luck with that."

"Do you have any idea how we're supposed to get out of this cave?" Helen asked. She needed to change the subject. And fast.

"Well we must head north. This is in…that direction." Nikola said.

"And you know that because…"

"Because of my magnetic personality, of course." He answered with a smirk. "And now…follow me."


	5. Out of the Cave

_***singing* I wish you a Merry Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy- ok I should probably stop singing…Right. So, consider this chapter a gift for Christmas, from me. Thank you for always being so supportive to me with your great reviews and I wish you the most wonderful Christmas you ever had! Oh, and sorry for the cliffie-old habits die hard I guess…**_

"Nikola I have a bad feeling about this." Helen said while they were heading to the exit. "This is too easy."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, no guards, nothing? I don't know very much about the ones that captured me but their boss interrogated me and I have to say he did not seem a stupid man. "

"You mean not stupid enough to leave you two unguarded?" Ashley asked.

"Yes."

Helen couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't right, that they were heading straight into a trap…However, she didn't have much time to think about this because when they were about to make a turn she felt Nikola pressing her against one of the cave's walls, not allowing her to make a single move.

"Nikola what the bloody hell are you…" she began to ask but he silenced her by passing a finger over her lips. He smirked at her, as she felt her pulse fastening because of the physical contact between them.

"Nikola we don't have time for this!" she whispered, trying to focus, which was pretty hard to do given the fact that his body was pressed to hers and that his lips were impossibly close to hers. Just a few inches… she had to move just a few inches and their lips would have met, probably causing her to lose control. _Focus, Helen._ She begged herself, hoping that her heart would listen.

"We don't have time for what? I would love to know what plans you have, my dear Helen, but I did this move because around the corner there are three guards. Three armed guards to be more precise. And I don't think you would want to run into them."

"And you just had to pin me against the wall, you couldn't find another way of warning me?" Helen said, raising her voice.

"Shhh…" Nikola said, pursing up his lips. "I have other means of silencing you, and I would be most delighted to use them, you know."

Her eyes betrayed her again, fixating on those tempting lips. Almost unconsciously, she passed her tongue over her upper lip and moistened it a little. _What the hell was she doing? _The fact that her body was pressed to his and that she could clearly feel how his chest heaved which each one of his breaths didn't help her to focus too much either. She did her best and took her eyes off his lips, but soon her gaze got lost into those steel blue eyes. The tension between them was almost suffocating. A kiss, only a kiss and that tension would have been forgotten…

"Listen, guys, we still need to get out of this cave, so would you please do something, and fast? " Ashley asked. "I mean, go ahead, smooch with each other or whatever you guys want to do, but we need to leave this place ."

"There will be no 'smooching', Ashley." Helen said, with probably the most unconvinced tone she had ever had. "Now, Nikola, if you could please get off me…"

"Actually, I think I have an idea." Nikola whispered against her neck. "But I have to stay right where I am because, well I can see all three guards from over here."

"I bet you could find another place from where you could do the same thing."

"Yes but what would be the fun in that?" he asked with a smirk that melted her knees.

"What do you have in mind, Nikola?"

"It depends… Ashley, you are a poltergeist, right?"

"If you're asking this because you want to know how many people will slap you if you forcibly kiss my mother… yes, I can touch things."

"And I thought I was the only one obsessed with the idea of me kissing your mother… However, I asked that because of the guards. Maybe we could scare them together."

"You want to use your magnetism on them?"

"Well I usually use that only on your mother- not that it works…" he said giving Helen a sad smile. "The guards are…not exactly my type."

"I meant your magnetic powers, Tesla!"

"Alright, alright. Yes, that is the plan."

"It could work, mother, I have to say."

"_Could_? Hey, need I remind you? I'm a genius! Of course it will work!"

"Then let's do it. But get off my mother. Now."

"Fine. Man you are such a mood breaker." He said glaring at the ghost.

"I practiced. My mother had some really annoying boyfriends and I had to get rid of them somehow."

"Ashley Magnus!"

"What? It's true. You don't have good tastes, mom, I'm sorry. And in the rare occasions you find somebody who is handsome and intelligent and, well, good for you in one word, you are just too afraid of getting involved. And no, Tesla, I didn't mean you when I said "someone good for my mother"."

"I am going to make you change your opinion very soon, Ashley."

"I am harder to convince than my mother, just so you know."

"Hello?" Helen said with an exasperated voice. "You and Ashley were trying to get us out of here if I recall correctly."

"She started it." Nikola said in a defensive tone.

"Ladies don't start fights, Tesla, but they surely finish them."

"You two are impossible."

"You mean she's impossible and I'm impossibly irresistible?"

"Nikola Tesla! Get me out of this cave! Now!"

"You're so sexy when you're being bossy… Right. We'll get out, don't worry. Follow my lead, Ashley."

With these words, Nikola pointed his fingers with one of the guard's guns. Suddenly, it started floating in the air and aimed right to another guard's head. Giggling like hell, Ashley stole the gun of another guard and fired two shots in mid air.

"What the…" one of the guards said. "Are there any ghosts in this cave?" he asked the other two with a terrified voice.

"Don't be silly, ghost don't exist." Another guard said, trying to keep a calm tone. But he was soon going to find out that maintaining your calm while a gun is going up and down your back is an impossible thing to do…

"I told you that our boss is doing something strange. He didn't even tell us _what_ we're guarding here."

"What you think this place is haunted?"

"I don't know but I'm clearly not staying around here to find out."

With these words, the three guards dropped their guns on the floor and ran away, leaving Nikola and Ashley behind them.

"Nice job, Tesla." Ashley said with a smile.

"What can I say…I have magic fingers" Nikola said, throwing Helen a lusting smile.

"Let's just get out of here, alright?"

"Over here, m'lady."

They headed to the exit, followed by Ashley, but soon discovered that Helen had been right all along. At the exit, the man who had interrogated Helen awaited them, together with seven armed guards.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Tesla." He said. "I think your powers would prove of use to us. And don't try to make a single move, or she dies." he said, pointing his gun at Helen. "You can't take all of our guns soon enough for us not to shoot her. Oh and about the girl… Ashley I believe… you should play nicely too."


	6. A Little Stopover

_**I don't know why but lately everytime I write something it ends up having at least a little gutter in it... Oh well. **_

* * *

"What the hell do you want from us? And how come you know about Ashley?"

"Listen, Helen, I expect you to be a little more polite. I'll tell you everything." The man said.

"See, you have something I want. The pendant from your mother. You see, I can't see ghosts. I can just feel them, even if they are not specifically attached to me. That's how I knew that there is also a ghost around here. And I know her name because I heard you calling for her. In your dreams. While you were sleeping."

"You spied on her while she was sleeping? Listen, you idiot, I don't know what your name is but I swear to God that if I get out of these restraints…"

"Easy, Mr. Tesla." The man said coldly. "I don't plan on killing you. Not yet. I need you. Actually, I only need you and Helen's pendant, I don't need her…"

"You need me to tell you how it works." Helen said harshly.

"I know that already, Helen. You take it into that secret cave, you insert it into the right place and then using Mr. Tesla's powers, you communicate with all ghosts available, not only your own, thus creating yourself a nice army of ghosts."

"That's your plan, Mr…"

"…Gordon. I thought I told you my name before. Now, where is that pendant?"

"What do you want me to do? Give it to you so you can kill me after? I don't think so."

"Fine. I wanted to be a nice guy. Chris, search her."

"It will be my pleasure." The minion in question said as he approached Helen with a disgusting grin on his face.

"Listen you punk, if you touch her…" Nikola said with a threatening voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry gramps. Is she your girl?" Chris asked as his hands got inside her blouse, touching her curves. She shoved back with disgust, as much as her restraints allowed her to do that, pressing her back against Nikola's. It made her feel safe somehow. He felt her pressing on his spine and soon realized that she was tensed. Tensed and scared. And he could do nothing about it. Or could he?

"Do something, Nikola." Ashley whispered. "Please."

"You think I don't want to? But I'm here, tied up…"

"She has a knife in her left pocket." Ashley whispered back.

"I have to tell you, gramps, you don't have bad tastes. She's extremely hot." Chris said, as he pressed his lips on Helen's. In an instant, she bit him on the lip, relishing the taste of his blood on her tongue.

"You are a little beast, aren't you?" Chris asked while he started unbuttoning her blouse.

"Get your hands off me!" Helen screamed, struggling to escape.

"Why would I bother? There is nothing you can do about it."

"But I can." Nikola said. Chris watched terrified as the knife flew out of Helen's pocket and cut his hand, causing him to bleed heavily.

"You son of a…"Chris said, but soon after the knife thrusted into his left palm, causing him to scream with pain.

"For God's sake!" Gordon exclaimed, coming to see what had happened. "Why do I pay you guys?" He hit Nikola with the butt of his gun, rendering him unconscious.

"I said search her, Chris, not sleep with her." Gordon said.

"That idiot cut me! Two times!"

"Well you deserved it. Now, Helen, where is your pendant?"

"If you think I'll tell you that after you hit Nikola…"

"I'll kill him if you don't."

"Left side." Helen said with a sigh. She couldn't allow Nikola to get hurt, evenif it meant giving up her pendant.

"That's much better. We'll stay here for the night; you should get some sleep because we leave first hour in the morning."

* * *

Nikola felt something wet on his face and struggled to open his eyes. It seemed that the others had left him and Helen outside in the rain and entered into their tents.

"Looks like they're not too hospitable, are they?" Nikola said with a sigh. "They left us alone here in the rain…"

"Are you alright, Nikola?" Helen asked with a worried voice. "You were unconscious for a while."

"I'm fine, Helen. Just have a major headache, but I'll get over it. But anyway, you are more important. Did that son of a bitch hurt you?"

"No. Thanks to you." She said throwing him a smile that almost made him forget about the pain in his head. "You injured him pretty badly."

"Good. I wish I had managed to free you from your restraints, but they were too fast."

"You did enough, Nikola, thank you."

"You're welcome. But I had help. When you bit that guy on his lip… it was awesome."

"Well that's what somebody gets if he kisses me without me wanting that kiss. Why are you smiling, Nikola?"

"I don't remember you biting me back then in Rome. As a matter of fact, I don't remember you doing any violent moves then." he said smirking.

"I pushed you away." She protested, trying to keep herself from blushing. Truth was, their kiss hadn't been _that_ bad… As a matter of fact, the only problem she had with it was that it had been too short… _You did __**not**__ think that, Helen._ She thought, trying her best to focus. But her mind betrayed her again, reminding her how soft Nikola's lips had been… and probably still were.

"I am more indulgent when it comes to friends anyway." She managed to say.

"All friends or just the ones you are in love with?" Ashley whispered. "Come on, mother. You know it's true. I'm not saying I'm enjoying this too much, but you love him."

"You may have pushed me away, yes, but I didn't hear you complaining too much about our kiss." Nikola said, saving her from giving Ashley a reply.

"Honestly, Nikola, now I wish that Gordon and his idiots would have put a gag in your mouth as well."

He simply smirked at her, as he crawled as close to her as he could.

"You've been thinking about the gag thing for a very long time, haven't you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Helen asked, not sure that she had understood what he wanted to say.

"Me, tied up, with a gag in my mouth..." He smirked some more, as he got closer to her, pretending he was trying to untie her.

"It won't work, Nikola." She tried to stop him, but it was too late. In their struggle to untie each other, he fell over her, so now his head was rested on her chest.

"Ooops." Nikola said, on a tone that was anything but convincing. Her blouse still had two buttons opened, she was soaking wet and the drops of rain fell down on her neck and slid deeper inside her blouse, driving him nuts. _Why did he have to be tied up? It was so unfair…_

"Great. Just great." Helen muttered. "I told you it won't work."

"You did… But now we are here, both wet…" he spoke in the most tempting voice.

"_Both_ tied up." She said and he could clearly feel the disappointment in that _both._

"And clearly _not_ alone, guys." Ashley said. "Sure if you two want some privacy, I could disappear… if you ask me nicely."

"Let's just get some sleep, Nikola. I still don't know what expects us tomorrow."

"Ok, ok, I got it. Not in front of the children. Not even the dead ones…"

"Nikola Tesla!" the girls both shouted.

He didn't say anything, but after a long period of struggle he managed to get to her neck and kiss it gently.

"Good night, Helen." He whispered against her skin.

A moan of pleasure escaped her throat at the touch of his soft and hot lips, but she hoped that he hadn't heard that.

"I'm glad I can please you even if I'm tied up." He whispered cheekily.

"Good night, Nikola." She said and closed her eyes, trying to get her mind out of the gutter…


End file.
